PRESENTATION

FeDerSerD (Italian Federation of Workers of the Addiction Departments and Services)

FeDerSerD is a scientific society in the field of Addiction Medicine, registered as member of the Italian Federation of the Scientific Societies (FISM). Grouping together hundreds of addiction professionals, FeDerSerD is deeply rooted in each service of addiction. In order to point out and valorise experiences gained by the operators in the clinical field and during the research, FeDerSerD has developed a national structure organized on a regional level. It is a federation of professionals committed in developing and consolidating clinical interventions on scientific basis in the interest of the person and the civil society. Having a proactive role in the public and institutional debate, FeDerSerD advocates important scientific, social, and political issues.

Our mission is to improve the quality of interventions in the sector of pathologic addiction, and to be a scientific and organizational reference for professionals involved in that field. We are medical doctors, psychologist, professional educators, sociologists, nurses who cooperate daily with patients and their families, being able to manage problems of organizations and management. We commit ourselves actively in improving the professionalism of our job considering that science should be joined to practice.

Statutory purposes are:

1. To disseminate the best practices in the field of prevention and treatment of addiction and of harm reduction measures, promoting appropriate information and professional training in the field of drug abuse, behavioural disorder and addiction, through:

Mission, a quarterly scientific and cultural journal;

FeDerSerD Informa, a scientific and cultural quarterly newsletter;

Website: www.federserd.it, with information, abstracts, up-to-date documents, and news about the Association;

Publication of several specialized volumes on addiction issues and the organization of health services;

2. To organize conferences, symposiums, meetings, training and courses on a regional and national level.

3. To connect FeDerSerD with similar institutions in other countries encouraging cultural exchanges.

4. To promote relations with political institutions on national and regional level, in order to guarantee scientific and operative coherence of legislative and organizational decisions.

5. To promote a culture of management in the field of addiction.

6. To promote clinical trials and experimental researches to evaluate somatic, social and psychological damages caused by drug abuse, addiction and/or addictive behaviours. Moreover, FeDerSerD’s aim is to analyze biologic and psychological mechanisms causing human behavioural alterations in order to single out pharmacologic, psychologic, social, and behavioural treatments able to address the addictive state.

8. To promote social and juridical researches in the field of addiction and about its connexion with social safety and justice, preserving ethics and professionality.

FeDerSerD is self-supported by annual fee of the members, grants form projects and free donations by public and private institutions;
has a national board (elected every three years), a scientific board (with both national and international members) and several regional bodies;
has a national permanent secretariat office (Expopoint) able to support all administrative activities.
has an annual budged with an audited financial statement;
is authorized by the Ministry of Health as provider for the mandatory training of health professionals (educational programme in medicine);
is a registered nonprofit organization

Since 2001, FeDerSerD has promoted several studies and projects supported by public and private institutions, including the European Union. The results of the previous studies in the field of addiction are published both on national and international journals (see PubMed database).
Moreover, FeDerSerD has been involved as partner (receiving funding) in EU projects, such as:GRUNDTVIG - I am Art as an agent for change! (2012-1-GB-GRU06-08406-5)Project “Notte Brava” (CUP E72B09000060006)Project "Pride" Care - Quality and continuity of care for drug users in prisons on the issue of infection disease in drug addicts detainees (JUST/2011/DPIP/AG/3583)

Until today, FeDerSerD has developed several clinical research projects, published, as editor, dozens of books and promoted roughly 300 events: more than 2,500 people yearly attended our initiatives which aim to disseminate knowledge and expertise and to provide the tools to make a difference in the community.